A Brand new Subject stream will
be introduced for Sri Lankan students sitting for the Advanced Level A/L Examinations in
2015, called ‘Technical’ said the Minister of Higher Education, Mr. S.B. Dissanayake.At the moment there are four streams named Science, Mathematics, Commerce and Arts.

‘There has
been a lot of outcry in Sri Lanka regarding the lack of job opportunities post
Advanced Levels. The new Technical stream of study will allow these youths to
adjust to the job markets in Sri Lanka as well as in other countries’ he said.

‘The subjects include
electronics, civil and mechanical engineering, agriculture as well as food
sciences and information technology’, explained
former Vice Chancellor of the University of Moratuwa, Vidya Jothi
Professor Dayantha Wijeyesekera, explaining
the benefits of the new stream of study.

He said that enrollment in
universities would not be necessary, if this stream of study was followed at A
Levels, as students would acquire a very practical knowledge, which would
enable them to find employment easily.

"We are hoping to
implement this new stream of study in at least one school in each of the 343
Divisional Secretariat Divisions in Sri Lanka. Already teachers have been
trained and books already purchased, said
Minister of Education, Bandula Gunawardane who also addressed the media
said.

Four streams, Science,
Mathematics, Commerce and Arts are taught at advanced levels at present. Every
year around 350,000 students sit the advanced level examination and of them
25,000 are qualified to enter universities. Around 300,000 youths who sit the
examination following the four streams enter the job market annually, even though;
a greater number of these job seekers are unemployable, since the four streams
are not job oriented.

Since these four streams are
academic streams, students have to follow many other courses to obtain
proficiency in various fields available in the job market.

Therefore, the technology
stream will be introduced to cater to the huge demand," Minister
Gunawardena said.

"At the initial stage,
the new stream will be available at 50 schools and gradually expanded to cover
every secretariat division. The Education Ministry is drafting the text books
and teacher guidance for the new stream with the assistance of educationalists,
intellectuals and several other resource personnel," the minister added.